Year-long closure of Londonderry railway the cheapest option: Murphy

THE closure of the Londonderry to Coleraine railway line for a year including the first quarter of the UK City of culture 2013 is required by Translink in order to minimise the cost of the planned renovation of the track.
By The Newsroom
Published 2nd Dec 2010, 10:53 BST
Updated 2nd Dec 2010, 11:05 BST

The possibility of relaying the track at night-time and on Sundays is not considered cost effective with Translink preferring work to be carried out mainly during week days.

Rail Minister Conor Murphy was asked by SDLP MLA Thomas Burns why work on the track relay could not be completed at night and on Sundays to prevent the line being closed for a year.

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The Minister replied: "The Economic Appraisal recently approved for this project includes what Translink have put forward as the most cost effective option.

"This envisages that the contractor employed will optimise working hours to provide Translink with a best price. Thus it is assumed that work will be completed mainly during week days, which does envisage a closure of the line for a considerable period of time. During this time it is planned to provide bus substitution services while the line is closed.

"This approach is considered to be the most pragmatic planning assumption in the light of known budgetary scenarios.

"However, Translink will consider all possible options and alternatives, including shift patterns before work on site commences. Any final decisions will have to take account of resource availability."

Related topics:TranslinkConor MurphyColeraineSDLP